Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an oil drawing by Meredith Monk. It dates from 1969 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
The date and location—April 30, 1969, for the Museum of the City of New York—are written in the corner.
This sketch shows a rough floor plan of a museum space. A wavy line marks where the audience would move through a glass door and down a staircase. The building has pillars, a front courtyard, and Fifth Avenue labeled outside. Simple shapes stand in for rooms, and a few scribbled notes explain how people flow through the space.
The date and location—April 30, 1969, for the Museum of the City of New York—are written in the corner. The artist used basic lines and a little color to show movement and layout.
Check out Meredith Monk to see more of her unconventional drawings.
Overview
Untitled is a paper drawing by Meredith Monk, executed in 1969. The work combines felt‑tip pen, oil pastel and pencil, and is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Subject & Meaning
The piece functions as a schematic of a museum interior, depicting a simplified floor plan. A wavy line indicates the intended path of visitors moving through a glass doorway and down a staircase, while basic geometric shapes represent galleries and ancillary spaces.
Technique & Style
Monk employs a minimal visual language, using thin pen lines for architectural outlines, pastel washes for modest color accents, and pencil shading for depth. The drawing’s economy of form emphasizes circulation rather than decorative detail.
History & Provenance
The drawing bears a handwritten note marking the date April 30, 1969, and references the Museum of the City of New York as its contextual setting. It entered MoMA’s collection at an unspecified later date, where it remains on view.
Context
Created during a period when Monk explored interdisciplinary practices, the work reflects an interest in spatial organization and audience movement, themes also present in her performance and compositional output of the late 1960s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Meredith Jane Monk is an American composer, performer, director, vocalist, filmmaker, and choreographer.
